Institute of Genetics and Biophysics (IGB) "Adriano Buzzati-Traverso", National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, Naples, Italy.
Front Immunol. 2024 Sep 5;15:1441914. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1441914. eCollection 2024.
Cancer cell dormancy is a reversible process whereby cancer cells enter a quiescent state characterized by cell cycle arrest, inhibition of cell migration and invasion, and increased chemoresistance. Because of its reversibility and resistance to treatment, dormancy is a key process to study, monitor, and interfere with, in order to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis and improve the prognosis of cancer patients. However, to achieve this goal, further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this complex and dynamic dual process. Here, we review the contribution of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to the regulation of cancer cell dormancy/awakening, focusing on the cross-talk between tumor and non-tumor cells in both the primary tumor and the (pre-)metastatic niche. Although EVs are recognized as key players in tumor progression and metastasis, as well as in tumor diagnostics and therapeutics, their role specifically in dormancy induction/escape is still largely elusive. We report on the most recent and promising results on this topic, focusing on the EV-associated nucleic acids involved. We highlight how EV studies could greatly contribute to the identification of dormancy signaling pathways and a dormancy/early awakening signature for the development of successful diagnostic/prognostic and therapeutic approaches.
癌细胞休眠是一个可逆的过程，在此过程中，癌细胞进入静止状态，其特征是细胞周期停滞、细胞迁移和侵袭抑制以及化学抗性增加。由于其可逆性和对治疗的抵抗力，休眠是研究、监测和干预的关键过程，以防止肿瘤复发和转移并改善癌症患者的预后。然而，要实现这一目标，需要进一步研究来阐明这一复杂和动态的双重过程的机制。在这里，我们综述了细胞外囊泡（EVs）在调节癌细胞休眠/觉醒中的作用，重点关注原发性肿瘤和（前）转移灶中肿瘤细胞和非肿瘤细胞之间的串扰。尽管 EVs 被认为是肿瘤进展和转移以及肿瘤诊断和治疗的关键参与者，但它们在诱导/逃避休眠方面的具体作用仍很大程度上难以捉摸。我们报告了这一主题的最新和最有前途的结果，重点介绍了涉及的与 EV 相关的核酸。我们强调了 EV 研究如何为鉴定休眠信号通路和休眠/早期觉醒特征做出巨大贡献，以开发成功的诊断/预后和治疗方法。
